Variety screening trial of Brassica carinata as a summer intermediate crop in Northern Italy

Intermediate oilseed crops serve a dual purpose by providing feedstock for the biofuel industry while also offering ecosystem services and additional income to farmers. Winter intermediate crops, such as camelina (Camelina sativa L.), have been identified as a suitable strategy for northern Italy, meanwhile, there remains a complete lack of possible alternatives for summer intermediate crops. Nonetheless, winter cereals continue to spread across a larger growing area. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of 13 different varieties of carinata (Brassica carinata A. Braun) provided by Nuseed (Canada), and grown as an intermediate summer crop in 2021 and 2022 in northern Italy. Carinata was planted in early June and harvested by the end of September. Key meteorological parameters were also recorded. In 2021, limited precipitation led to early maturity of carinata, reaching 2130 Growing Degree Days (GDD) in 101 days, from sowing to harvest. In contrast, in 2022, a wetter growing season resulted in seed maturity at 2885 GDD over 147 days. Carinata seed yield varied greatly across varieties, between 0.24 Mg ha 1 up to 1.92 Mg ha 1 , a range likely influenced by genetic factors. This study demonstrates that carinata presents a promising intermediate summer crop, particularly when seed yield exceeds 0.96 Mg ha 1 , which represents the break-even yield to fully compensate for cultivation costs. To enhance carinata productivity, selection of the most suitable variety for each pedo-climatic area can help to overcome damages caused by abiotic (i.e., heat and drought) and biotic (i.e., Altica oleracea, Nysius cymoides) stresses.